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In January 2008, I had gone to
The reason for this foolhardy decision was that I never told and shared an experience I had in
I will narrate my experience at the end. First read the account about
Raghavendra Swami which is historically undisputed as can be seen. It is a pity that such incidents are not narrated now in government documents which British rulers, not Hindus, could do it with their sense of history and almost no faith in the great traditions of eternal
http://www.hindubooks.org/templesofindia/mantralaya/munro_eprisode/page1.htm THE MUNRO EPISODE
This great miracle is recorded and preserved in the government archives. During the British days, the foreigners unable to assimilate the Indian way of life and its sanctity, ordered the resumption of endowments made during the time of the Nawab of Adoni. The temple authority then prayed for retention of Jagir, as it was the only means, helping them conducting prayer services and feeding the visiting devotees. The white men scoffed - "What! a Jagir for a dead brahmin fakir!". They decided to lay their Bhasmasura hasta. But with a view to examining the truth of the petitioners, Thomas Munro, an official was sent by the company. Being a god-minded man, he entered the precincts removing his shoes and hat. As he stood near the Brindavan, he found a saint emerging from it, and explaining the position. "If the Jagir were to be resumed, neither prayers, nor feeding would be conducted there onwards. The temple is like an oasis that quenches the thirst of the parched throats of all without distinctions. So leave it as it is". The explanation and presentation of solicitation was too convincing that Munro immediately quashed the proposal for resumption. He narrated all that went between them to the people gathered there and showed the Akshatas he received from him. The listening people bent down their heads all at once and praised him for the fortune of seeing the Acharya.
Thomas Munro :
During the rule of the British East India Company, the Company authorities sent an order to the head of Sri Raghavendra Mutt to the effect that the jagir pertaining to the Mantralaya would be abolished. On seeing the order, the head of the Mutt and priests performing pujas, felt very sad. They wrote to the Company saying, " Mantralaya is a great pilgrim centre, if the jagir is abolished, it will be difficult to cater to the food and other facilities of the visiting pilgrims. Therefore, the jagir should not be abolished." Sir Thomas Munro came to the Mantralaya to enquire into the matter at the behest of the Company's authorities. Removing his hat and leaving his shoes outside the entrance, he went into the Mutt. As he was standing before Sri Raghavendra's Brindavan and having 'Dharsan' of the swami, a sanyasi came out of the Brindavan and began to speak to Munro in fluent English and in a dignified manner. Munro asked the sanyasi many questions relating to the abolition of the jagir. The sanyasi replied suitably and affirmed that the jagir should not be abolished.
Later the sanyasi gave Munro the sacred grain. No body observed the sanyasi speaking to Munro. He was not visible to any person. People, who were present at the shrine, thought that Munro was talking to himself about something. At the conclusion of the conversation, Munro said to the people gathered there, " A sanyasi came out of the Brundavan , spoke to me in my own language, against the abolition of the jagir, gave me the sacred grain and disappeared back into the Brindavan."
Then the head of the Mutt said to Munro, " you are a fortunate person Sri Raghavendra Swami himself appeared before you in person. He gave you the sacred grain and blessed you." Munro felt exceedingly happy. He immediately cancelled the order abolishing the jagir and restored it to the Mutt permanently. He ordered his cook to cook the sacred rice as his staple food, and serve him at the time of meal. The entire proceedings are recorded in the Madras District Gazetteers as follows:
EXTRACT FROM
“
By W. FRANCIS esq I.C.S
VOLUME NO.I
Reprint 1916 by the Superintendent Govt Press,
Ch XV Adoni Taluk-- page No,213
Mantasala (Mantrayalam): A Shrotriem village with a population of 1212 on the bank of the Tungabhadra in the extreme north of the taluk. The village is widely known as containing the tomb of Madhava saint Sri Raghavendra Swami the annual festival in August connected with which is attended by large number of pilgrims including even Lingayats from Bombay, the Nizam’s Dominion and even Mysore. The tomb itself is not of architectural interest. The grant of the landed endowment attached to it, it is said, is contained in one of Mackenzie MSS is said to have been made by Venkanna Pant, the well known Dewan of Sidi Masaud Khan Governor of Adoni from 1662 to 1687.
A quaint story of Sir Thomas Monro is told about the place. The endowment being threatment with resumption, Munro, it is said, came to make inquiries. After removing his boots and taking off his hat he approached the grave.The saint thereupon emerged from his tomb and met him. They conversed together for sometime regarding the resumption, but though the saint was visible and audible to Munro who was himself people declare, semi divine, none of the others who were there could either see or hear what he said. The discussion ended, Munro returned to his tent and quashed the proposal to resume the endowment. Being offered some concentrated rice he accepted it and ordered it to be used in the preparation of his meals for that day.
Sir Thomas ordered the rice - Mantrakshate Prasad - to be cooked along with his evening meal and gave up any thought of `resuming' the taxes of the village to the British. (This episode is found in a British newspaper of the time, The Madras Gazettier, which can still be viewed at the Collectorate in Anantapura)
My friend in
As to myself, back to
The fleeting vision of a saint
What had happened to me in
PS: Namit Gautam who read this account reminded that he had to lift me from my bed physically in
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